Máire Hoctor (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)

I am speaking on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Harney, who is unavailable. I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, which provides an opportunity to reaffirm the Government's commitment to services for older people. The development of such services is a high priority. This is reflected in the funding committed to services for older people in the 2006 and 2007 budgets. In 2006, the Government funded the largest ever expansion in services for older people with a full year cost of €150 million. In budget 2007, a full year package of €255 million has been allocated for services for older people. This gives a total of more than €400 million added to services for older people over two years. Government policy on older people is to support people to live in dignity and independence in their own homes and communities for as long as possible and, where this is not possible, to support access to quality long-term residential care. This policy approach is renewed and developed in the latest partnership agreement, Towards 2016.

While the main emphasis will continue to be on providing supports that help older people to remain in their own home for as long as possible, additional long-stay residential places will be required in the coming years to meet the needs of an ageing population. Last year, the HSE, in conjunction with Prospectus, undertook a needs assessment of bed capacity requirements in the areas of long-stay, dementia specific and respite care beds. This report was submitted to the Department of Health and Children in September 2006. While the report indicates a small national surplus of long-stay beds, it also notes that this surplus masks the uneven distribution of beds between and within regions. In particular, HSE Dublin north east and HSE south have an immediate requirement for additional beds.

As part of the overall investment package for the development of services for older people, the Department and the HSE have prioritised the delivery of additional public continuing care beds through the development of community nursing units in large urban centres in both Dublin and Cork together with the expansion and the development of additional facilities across all regions. The Department is in discussions with the HSE regarding the delivery of this additional capacity. I understand the HSE has plans to provide additional step down-long stay facilities in the south Dublin area. Locations are being identified in the context of the 2008 capital plan.

The transfer of services from St. Luke's Hospital to new facilities at St. James's Hospital is not due to take place for a number of years. In the meantime, two additional linear accelerators will be commissioned at St. Luke's in early 2008 and two replacement linear accelerators will be commissioned later in 2008. These will provide much needed interim capacity pending the roll-out of the national plan for radiation oncology. No decisions have been taken on the future use of the site and facilities at St. Luke's. However, the Minister intends to ensure these resources are utilised in the best interest of the health services.

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